Dreams of a Life

Dreams of a Life is a visually imaginative and multi-layered quest to find out what lies behind a brief newspaper report. In 2006 the body of a 38-year-old woman was found in North London – not a particularly newsworthy item, except that Joyce Vincent had died in her bedsit three years previously. Her skeleton was discovered in bed, surrounded by Christmas presents that she was in the process of wrapping, her television was still on, and her lights and heating were still on as well. Carol Morley sets off on a difficult journey to uncover the mystery of the life, dreams, aspirations and disappointments of this young woman. Who was Joyce? And how is it possible that none of her family, friends or colleagues missed her? With both lightness and intensity, the director combines the testimonies of friends and former acquaintances with staged scenes from her life. The result is an extremely compelling and breath-taking reflection not only on the fate of an individual, but also on our approach to life. (Karlovy Vary International Film Festival)